Meet Nicey Jane

She's gussied up and ready for her big debut. Meet Nicey Jane™, my new fabric collection for Free Spirit. Nicey is sassy, sweet, and ready to sew.  In other words, check your local fabric store, as Nicey Jane arrived this week. 

These new prints are available in two color palettes. We'll call the pink/olive/tangerine palette Kissing Booth and the blue/gray/gold palette Porch Swing. Along with florals, geometrics, and stripes, there are also a handful of Nicey Jane cotton solids -- which are batting their threads at me now, calling, "Sew with me, Heather. Forget that computer and run away with me."

In a couple of weeks, there will also be eight 58" wide laminated cottons (similar to oil cloth, but light-weight and super-duper supple -- must touch).  I'm excited that the finish is light-weight enough to be gathered.  Once I finish up my stationery design work this month, I'm going to sew up a Smarty Girl book bag with the laminated cotton and give a full report.  I also have some raincoat plans and a kid's booster seat to make.

(I never did show off my birthday bicycle, did I?  Nicey is doing the job for me now.  Yep, that's my pinkity-pink-ol bike there.  I never would have guessed I'd go for a pink bike.  Would have guessed orange.  Or khaki.  Or bright yellow.  I love it though.  Wait till you see the bicycle saddlebags I'm planning to make out of this print -- but in laminate.  Oh yah.)

Back to the fabric, shall we?

The collection tells the story of small-town girl, Nicey Jane. Nicey heads to the city on Friday nights to swing dance with her beau -- but not before hanging the laundry to dry & enjoying an afternoon picnic on the farm.  The prints are named for Nicey's story: Hello Roses, Hop Dot, Swing Toss, Wash-Day Ticking, Welcome Road, Picnic Bouquet, Slim Dandy, Dream Dot, Church Flowers, Pocketbook, and Lindy Leaf.

(The Lindy Hop is my mom's favorite dance.  She tried to teach me some moves on the family room rug when I was little.  Tried.  The Lindy is dang-tricky.)

Now for dessert, a little Nicey Jane video.  Be patient with the resolution;  I uploaded this piece to YouTube instead of hosting it on my own site so it can be shared, embedded in other blogs, watched a gazillion times, etc.  I have Isaac to thank for the wink -- you'll see.

For second dessert (what would a Hobbit call a second dessert?), I believe I'm in the mood for a celebratory giveaway.  New fabric has arrrived -- and it's Christmas time -- a dangerous combination.  So, three prizes!  One $50 gift certificate  and two $25 gift certificates to The Heather Bailey Store.  To enter, leave a comment. Tell us something fun, or interesting, or weird, or clever, or something kind someone has done for you.  Something like that.  I do read all of the comments.  I'll go first (see comments).

Happy holidays, my friends.  I'm off to stir some hot cocoa with a candy cane and find myself a pair of slippers.  It's cold outside.

Comments

[Heather Bailey]

When Elijah was in third grade, he did a report on wasps. One fact he uncovered in his research was that wasps supposedly taste a lot like pine nuts. We weren't about to test the theory ourselves. What fool-scientist did? However, Elijah did package up little baggies of pine nuts to hand out to the class while he presented his report. I wonder how many kids actually tried them after the association was made. If wasps really do taste like pine nuts, does that mean pine nuts taste like wasps?

[Linda A.]

What a beautiful collection, Heather! Hmmm...something interesting? Well, today is the 29th anniversary of the day that John Lennon was shot in front of the Dakota in New York. You know how people can remember exactly what they were doing on a particular memorable date, like 9/11? I'm like that. I still remember my Mom coming in to wake me up on the morning of the 9th before my clock radio turned on so she could tell me before I heard it on the news. We had planned to go Christmas shopping in Exter that day, and I remember standing in a sad line at the record shop to buy my copy of "Double Fantasy' that afternoon. Hard to believe it was 29 years ago...

Happy Holidays, Heather! Thanks for the opportunity to win a gift certificate to your store. :)

[Natalija]

I am in the mood for sewing some presents - most probably some pillow covers. I am also starting plan my baking and can't wait to smell all those nuts, cinnamon and other spices! My baby (youngest of 6) is turning 2 tommorrow, so I am making her a jumper for her birthday ... she is so sweet and at the moment is cooking lunch with her plastic food and dishes. The other day she was holding a plastic dinosaur in her arms and said: "shhh, don't cry .... everything is OK"

[Sarala]

You MUST tell us which ones will be coming out in the laminate - I have been stalking around everywhere trying to find out!

[Adrianna]

Since it's Christmas time (and my birthday time), I'm going to tell you my best gift story. For my 21st birthday, my friends got together and bought me a gift certificate to get a tattoo.

[Katrin]

I am currently finishing the quilt that my hubby will get for christmas. He was allowed to pick the fabrics himself, so he is getting a Spiderman quilt. Your fabric is wonderful.

[joh]

Kindness or Cindess as my 7 year old wrote is an every day occurrence here for this expat in France who cant speak the language well and misses every 2nd word said. People are very kind in helping me live my life, they accommodate my woeful french and try english and are enchanted by my boisterous boys. Yesterday we went to see Pere Noel, or Santa at a mall, my boys were worried that Santa wouldnt know where they now were and wouldnt come especially as he couldnt ask for directions as they would all be in French! Papa and his elves looked quizzically at my distressed 5yo and after a rapid french conversation, Pere Noel got up asked the photographer for a piece of paper and said to my son" Draw me map" so he did and Santa said in broken english.. "see now ok I will come!" great cheers all round even from the other parents in the que. That Christmas had been saved! and I think there turn would come! thanks Heather Its nice to tell a little story........in english

[katherine campbell]

The year after I graduated from college I came home from the daily grind of teaching middle school and found this message on my answering machine: "Hello, Katherine. This is so-and-so from your local fabric store. I just wanted to let you know that your grandmother has signed you up for smocking lessons. Your first class is Tuesday night." Early twenties, no kids, no friends' kids to smock for. I went anyway. I've been sewing and smocking at that shop once a week for the past ten years. That phone call changed my life! Thanks, Mammaw!

[Rebekah]

What lovely fabric! I am in love with the fresh vintage and elegant charm! I have made so many beautiful things out of your freshcut line. Including my favorite sewing stool upholstered with one of your prints.

so excited to buy some of your new line and see what other treasures I can make. :)

[greta]

I'm excited to see the laminates...and would LOVE to know if you will be making a pattern for bicycle saddle bags....
When my kids were little (seems like a long time ago, now) I used to sneak a little sewing time here and there, making them clothing or stuffies or quilts. My kids knew all of the names of the traditional quilt blocks long before they could read!
Thanks for *sparking* this treasured memory!

[Elizabeth]

For Christmas this year, I don't have time to sew everyone up something handmade because of my new little one so I decided to be creative with a non sewing handmade gift! I bought vanillas beans in bulk for about $1 a bean, sliced them and placed them in jars filled with vodka. I'm giving friends/family homemade vanilla extract! Easy!

[brittany]

my husband just got me a day at the spa for my birthday! I can hardly believe it. He told me that I deserve a little time where I can relax and no one can ask anything of me. (I recently had twins to make 5 children.) Isn't that the sweetest?

[Alice S]

An act of kindness that I'm really appreciating involves a sewing machine. Mine is having some problems and I've been getting it repaired. My friend is loaning me her machine in the meantime so that I can finish up some gifts.

[natalie]

this new collection is sooo dreamy, i love it!!!
this year i'm doing tons of handmade gifts, but my most fun one is just making my niece a "kitchen collection." she's not quite 2, but is getting one of those retro looking wooden kitchens for Christmas, so i'm going to make her an apron and some accessories to go along with it! she loves standing at the dishwasher pretending to "cook" with me so i might even make us some matching ones on the days i'm nannying for her!

[sheryl]

My favourite act of kindness I received was when I had my 4th bub..the house was trashed, i was so tired and my two gorgeous friends came and cleaned my house for me...better than any expensive baby gift...

[Lacer]

What beautiful, beautiful fabrics, bringing a spot of summer back to dreary grey England! Ok something interesting or fun, hmmm, ok, last weekend my husband ahem 'helped' Father Christmas with his duties at the school fair, first child who comes in "How many reindeer do you have?", my poor husband sits there trying to remember the lyrics to Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer for inspiration, "Um eight?" he goes, "Ok," the girl goes "What are their names?". Who knew you had to swot for the role?!

[Kathleen Grace]

Nicey Jane is one sweet collection and I would LOVE to win some:>) Beautiful work. You have given seamstresses everywhere a new toy:>)

[Kathleen Grace]

ooops, I forgot my nice thing to share! When I was newly married I had expressed an interest in learning pottery to my husbands grandmother. i went over to her house one day and on the way stopped at a yard sale where there was a potters wheel for sale. It was much more than I could afford and I told grandma about it when I got to her house. She got her purse and gave me the money and told me to go get it. It was gone when I got there but that sweet gesture meant the world to me!

[katie r]

Love it!! The new collection is beautiful! One day at recess a little girl in my class was yelling out "Soup"- I was confused and asked her to clarify. She informed me that I had mentioned "soup is a short name for Stuart." It took me a minute to realize Stew is a short name for Stuart :) She was just trying to get her friend's attention. At least she understands synonyms :)

[Marla]

Love the new collection!

Tonight my daughter was acting out the Christmas story and she said, "Mommy, Kai can be Jophes and I will be Married!" (Kai is her little brother) Just loved how Joseph and Mary's names came out! LOL

[Inkie]

wow how cute and fresh! Now something interesting.... my 4 year old son has Autism and is completly non verbal, we're taken him to many, many specialist with no joy. Until my youngest son started talking and now my 4 year old can say a few words, the very same first words of my youngest lol The competitive gene won through much to the surprise of said specialists lol

[Kathryn]

This story is going on my blog today:
On Friday a child brought candy cigarrettes on the bus. The kids ate and ate. Then one 5 year old little girl says to my 5 year old little girl "smoking is bad for your tonsils" (we can overlook a 5 year olds anatomy confusion). Faith (my daughter) asks her "What are tonsils?" and the girl opened wide to show Faith her tonsils. At the site of the tonsils Faith got sick...ALL OVER her brother Simon.
You should have seen the nurses Face when I went to pick them up. Trying SO HARD not to bust out laughing in front of them! Even Simon couldn't help but laugh!

[amy]

Love them all!!!
Today I got a package in the mail. It was something I ordered online. Only problem was that it was the wrong something. I emailed the sender and told them they got it wrong. They very quickly replied with an apology and told me they'd be sending the correct item asap. The part that made me smile is that they told me to go ahead and give the incorrect item to my favorite charity! I can't wait to give it to a less fortunate child and make a Christmas dream come true. It is so wonderful to know that there are still kind people in the world who haven't been overrun by the commercialization of Christmas.

[Stephanie]

One of the freshest new lines on the market. Love how it has a story. Lovely friend, Carrie, and I met through blogging. She's a master appliquer and learned of a big 12-block applique project I started many years ago and never finished...2 blocks to finish...2 to be completely made. She wanted to finish them for me. I sent her a box and when she was done she returned it. It's now quilted, the binding is done and I have some button finishing touches to complete. I'll be sharing it on my blog soon. It's a very special quilt and once of the nicest most generous things anyone has ever done!

[Melissa]

You did say you wanted weird, right? I was at Swiss Days (a huge outdoor craft fair)and my mom and I were sitting at a table eating lunch. It was crowded and two men and two women asked if they could sit with us. We scooted over to make room, and one of the women remarked to me, "Oh, no. If you are sitting by my husband, you better guard your food." We all laughed and continued eating, although the man sitting next to me WAS uncomfortably close. Table space was at a premium, and he kept scooting closer to me. After each scoot, he would say, "Are you okay?", probably in response to me leaning away from him. I finished eating, and laid my fork down, and he leaned over and said, "Are you going to eat those cherries?" I glanced at my pie plate and said that I was finished. He proceeded to grab a potato chip from his plate, reach across and scoop up and eat a cherry from my plate. Then another, and another, until even the cherry juice had been scooped and gobbled. Just as I was thinking, enough's enough, and we were getting ready to go, he leaned across me, looked at my mom and said, "Aren't you going to eat your cookie?" We handed it over and scooted away post haste. So bizarre.

I love Nicey Jane, by the way. Jane would know how to handle some random stranger eating food off her plate. Me? Not so much!

[Rachel]

I have a little sewing business on Etsy that I started a couple years ago of things I sew (a lot out of your fabric). Well, I was using this little cheap sewing machine from Walmart that was starting to die and I was spending most of my days crying over that thing trying to make it sew through 5 layers of fabric. I knew I needed a new one and the one I wanted the most was a Bernina. I convinced my husband that if he bought it for me I could pay it off in three months with my sewing business. (We didn't have any money to spend on things like that at that time.) So he did and I worked so hard for one month to make enough to pay for part of it and I was having no luck. I felt terrible. It was getting to be Christmas time and he took me out to dinner and told be that I didn't have to pay off the machine because he was giving it to me as a Christmas present. I just started crying right there. I had been so miserable knowing I would never be able to keep my promise to him. I knew he had to work extra hard at work to make up the extra money. I was so touched. He knew how much it meant to me. That was probably the kindest thing anyone has ever done for me! :)

[Shannon]

So gorgeous! Something recently fun someone has done for me? My birthday was recently, like last Thursday, and my husband surprised me with an Anthro gift card and the promise to go shopping Friday night and out to dinner. On the way to Anthro I got the wild idea to ditch it all (shopping could wait) and go to Six Flags (it's not often we have a sitter), even though we were in our best clothes, not a mitten or hat to be seen, he braved the freezing temps with me and we enjoyed some horrible hot cocoa and roller coasters. Together. It was amazing!

[Lori]

Very pretty new collection, Heather. Well, on Friday, my babies, my twin daughters will be 15, it seems like yesterday they were born, 5-1/2 weeks early but healthy. Now I take them on Friday to get their driver's permit and they will be driving me around all the time. They are so excited! Me? Excited and a bit nervous.

[Jana]

I love it! My cute annecdote is that my son, who is 3, likes to rub my husbands back. He'll just randomly get up and say, "I need to go rub Daddy's back." It's too cute. I wish he felt that need with me!

[Amy L]

Love love love the new collection!!

The other morning my kids were eating breakfast and my 10-year-old son asked, "Mom, have you ever heard of Weird Al Yankovic?" My 8-year-old daughter's eyes got very wide and she said, "Hey! We're studying him in music class!!" Feeling a little concern over the music curriculum, I asked what exactly they were learning about him. She said, "He's the guy that wrote The Nutcracker Suite." After explaining that Tchaikovsky was actually the name of that particular composer, she shrugged her shoulders and said, "OK. But he WAS weird."

[Jennifer]

I just lit a pine scented candle, have Chris Isaac playing (Speak of the Devil) and am going to clean!! yay for me!

[kappy3]

Merry Christmas Heather and congrats on the new line! My favorite christmas event is a beautiful horse carriage parade all lit up with lights trotting through the streets. Beautiful!

[andrea]

Hi Heather- first off -I have to say I love your new line of fabrics.And the pink bike but the Lindy hop looks painful!
For something interesting-hmmm,thinking....maybe along the same subject?
I took dance classes as a little girl in Hollywood~there were lots of stars' children, child actors and future stars in our classes!I have a program with photos from one of our dances. I won't name names ;)
Is that interesting enough to win? I sure hope so !! :)

[Dawn]

ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh these are awesome!!! I'm singing.. "The Weather Outside is Fightfall, Let me SEW, Let me SEW , Let me SEW... oh I wish I had these fabrics to play with while I am snowed in! THANKS.. Love them!

[Amy Priddy]

They are beautiful!! I would love to have some of your new fabric! My funny story...my 6 year old got a conduct grade in class one day recently for talking (he is Mr. Social). After I picked him up he asked if he was grounded. I told him yes, no tv or video games for the rest of the day. He looked at me seriously and said "When I am a dad, I will not be mean. I will be the nicest dad ever and never ground my kids." Hmmm, I wonder how many times he will eat his words.

Thanks for the giveaway!

[Amanda K]

Something kind someone just did for me...
For the entire seven plus years that my husband and I have been married, one of us has been in school. Each year I get really sad at Christmastime because we barely have any money for gifts - even to make most of them. So this year when I was home for Thanksgiving, my brother paid me a large amount of money to "clean" his house. Granted, it was nasty, but it was really a blessing to me.
BTW, I love your new fabrics.

[Kristin]

oh so pretty! It has been sooo cold here the last few days and I am so hoping it will cloud up and we'll get snow! I don't even know that it is in the forcast...last year we had more snow than I can ever remember and a white Christmas. It did mess up some plans (like no church for Christmas), but it was so beautiful!

[mijk]

We Celebrated Sinterklaas this weekend with my family and when my daughter went to sleep at her other grandparents house she took a sert of cincerella dolls with her for her nightstand. My uncle and his husband started beaming and confessed they had bought it in New York this summer because they decided she would love it. The thought of these two man dragging this toy all over the atlantic ocean for my little girl just got me weepy..

[Corey]

I am so excited about this fabric! I have been patiently waiting for it to come out and now it is here! Don't all parents think that their kids are clever?--Last night I was reading my 4 year old daughter her recent issue of highlights and there was one page that asked a bunch of different questions. One of the questions said "Name something warm."--Chloe thought a bit and then got very excited: "I know, I know--Penguins keep their eggs warm." I thought it was such a cute answer.

Congrats on your new fabric line, it is just beautiful!

[Jill]

Beautiful fabrics! Something interesting? I just found out I am pregnant with my third child! Yay!

[SparklePetal]

I love Nicey Jane! Some just dropped through my letter box this morning, destined for my sister's Christmas gift! And there is more on the way, I just couldn't help myself when I saw your Christmas coupon offer...

This morning I took a trip into town on the bus with my baby (well, almost a toddler now!). We took our new stroller that had never been out before. It was quite a wrestling match to fold it up with a little girl and her diaper bag clutched under one arm, but a very kind lady (quite burdened with shopping herself) helped me get everything onto the bus. I love my friendly little town!

[sarah]

I've been so excited about these fabrics!! Your talent is so inspiring, Heather! My 3 year old daughter loves to draw pictures for one of my brothers. I told her she could put some of the pictures in his Christmas card. Now, whenever she draws something, she says she is going to put it in his "basement card".

[becky]

I went out Saturday, thrifting. I had been looking for the perfect fabric for a shower curtain in my newly remodeled bathroom (BTW, I think this new line is IT!), thought about vintage sheets, and asked my Army son to join me. He did, and he convinced my two youngest ones to come. We hit two thrift shops, an alternative shop, a used bookstore and had lunch together and it was WONDERUL! No arguments. No pushing to leave. They actually helped each other decide things about purchases and appeared to enjoy themselves. They are 24 & 19 yo twins. It has been YEARS since I have been gifted with such a lovely day. Only regret is that the 4th kid was in AK and couldn't join us!

[Shorty]

Such beautiful fabric! I love your designs. A sweet story I would like to share with you is from my 11 year old son. He paid me the nicest compliment over the weekend... that he looks forward to making things when he's with me and not having to worry about making messes. I was so relieved to hear that since my concern was that he's getting near pre-teen years and being creative and crafty might not fall into his definition of 'cool'. I'm hoping I can spur his creativity for many many years to come!

[Christi S.]

Oh i am so in love with nicey jane. Can't wait to try it out on clothes for my daughter or a new bag for myself.

one great thing someone has done for me lately is my wonderful hubby cleaning, cooking, laundry, doing the dishes (YUCK) and playing w/our 2 yr old all weekend so i could work on a quilt!! it was just so lovely to retreat back in my sewing room !!

congrats on your new fabrics....you amaze me with each collection and how the last one is just as creative as the first one!

[Lauren]

I absolutely love it! Oh the images your new collection create in my mind! I cant wait to get ahold of some :)

[Lisa]

Love the new fabrics - so cheery!

I have a nine year old daughter and I love it that we still have fun times together. Children grow up so much faster these days and I know that all too soon, she won't want to spend as much time with her mom. I cherish the times when we can hang out, giggling and enjoying each other's company.

[Bree]

Let's see something nice. My family and I are moving just up the road right after Christmas so we're not decorating this year. When my mom found out about this she promptly went and bought us a little Christmas tree made of rosemary and decorated it with tiny ornaments. She knows how much I love Christmas and how much it kills me not to be able to decorate this year. That woman, she's awesome!

[Lisa G.]

the other day, we got a smidge of snow in Houston (the weather man called it a STORM..ha!) and when my son (4) and I were on our way home from school, he said, "I hope I see some SNOWdeer!!" I asked if he meant "reindeer" and he said, "no, snowdeer! it's snowing, not raining!" D'oh.

[Nina]

Today a friend did something kind for me. Going for a walk with the dog, I forgot to take my key with me. A friend who lives nearby has a duplicate and even though she is pretty stressed at the moment, she came and brought me my keys so that I wouldn't have to stand outside while it rained. I'm going to make her a card and a little gift to thank her :) Best wishes from Germany!